yeah, i used an expletive, cuz i'm pissed.

Of perhaps the belief that there is mountain of money other than CP in an essentially bankrupt country is a bunch of bull. You've got nothing on the line here. But other CP opponents will get the blame if CP goes down and negative consequences for the transportation system result.

We'll need that gas tax increase and CP. And any payroll/income tax increases will be going elsewhere.

Others here may be able to speak more authoritatively on this than I can, but one reason the transit fund still has cash is that it is supposed to. I may have made it sound like the transit fund is sitting on a mountain of money, but really it just hasn't been managed as recklessly as the highway fund.

The single-minded focus on expanding capacity has caused the highway fund's costs to soar out of control. Burwell told me there is talk of doubling the allocation for highway funds in the next authorization law. The reason being that the allocation doubled the last time they reauthorized. Even adjusting for inflation, it is absurd to increase highway spending at that rate.

I think Larry is right, the states, while talking big on transportation, have over and over again chosen to underfund it. The federal government has to believe at this point that this issue just isn't a priority for anyone anymore.

Hopefully TSTC is right and the Dems in Congress will stick up to the president (for once) and send this budget back.

I believe the idea that Americans have borrowed so much money people are no longer willing to lend them more to blow for short term benefit.

So the government is going to borrow the money for them, to a greater extent.

Perhaps during the 2009 State of Union, our next President will admit to us that this generation of Americans has just about bankrupted the country.

What am I going to do with my check? Put it in the bank...or maybe travel overseas on vacation and spend it. Lot of good that does the economy.

What if instead the government used those billions to fix America's crumbling bridges (see: I-35 MSP), build true high-speed rail systems between major cities to offload overcrowded airports, or, hell, build mixed-income affordable housing in swing states to give the GOP a hint of a chance in Nov.?

Any of those things will create real jobs here in the US ("Oooo - let's spend our check at WalMart buying cheap Chinese crap!"), offer long-term benefits to us, and prevent having to steal "good" money from "good" projects to pay off the bad debt.

Oh, sorry, how far fetched. Sounds much too "New Deal" for a Republican administration.

Before the election.

(Raiding the Transit Fund would drop it, too, into the red within two years.)

After the election.

This is happening all over the United States at the state and local level. I read aboiut it in article after article. Calfornia raided the proceeds from a transportation bond to balance this year's budget, but a far deeper crisis awaits next year. And it isn't just transportation.

We're facing tough times, but many other parts of the country -- those without foreign ties (to those who still have money) are worse off. In NY, expect the real state budget to be released in November, after the battle for control of the State Senate is decided. I fear what might happen then, and/or in June 2009 when the city faces a budget without a left over surplus.

Again, bicycles, telecommuting, carpooling with existing vehicles on existing roads. Limited public capital cost. No public operating costs. And personal savings for Americans who have already spent their own future income with personal debt and their children's future income with public debt.